Job Description

Description

Forestry Project Manager

Competition Number

2023-339

Job Code

0332

Posting Date

July 28, 2023

Closing Date

August 31, 2023 (at 6:00pm)

Job Status

Permanent Full-Time

The City of Kitchener is a vibrant and dynamic city of approximately 270,000, in the heart of southwestern Ontario. As the largest municipality in Waterloo Region, Kitchener continues to be poised for development and growth, enhancing its reputation as a leader in city-building and innovation, with nationally recognized strategies to build its neighbourhoods, its digital infrastructure and its diverse economy.

The City of Kitchener is WHERE you want to work! Learn more about the top reasons to join us:

Position Overview:

At the City of Kitchener, we believe that an innovative, sustainable urban forestry program and a diverse, rich, and healthy urban forest are vital elements in building and shaping cohesive communities. Our trees provide immense social, economic, and environmental benefits and support our quality of life, through beautifying our streets and by enriching our parks and open spaces.

We are looking for a Forestry Project Manager to implement and operationalize Kitchener\'s Sustainable Urban Forest Strategy to ensure the City\'s urban forest asset of 70,000+ street and park trees, as well as 1000+ hectares of natural areas are managed for longevity, and to provide benefits to future generations. This role will provide leadership and direction to Kitchener\'s urban forest program by researching, managing, and implementing projects, designing, and using tools and best practices for collecting and managing urban forestry data, and analyzing data to make data-driven management decisions to implement a proactive forestry maintenance program. The Forestry Project Manager plays an essential role in connecting the forestry planning and forestry operations programs within Kitchener\'s overall urban forestry program.

You Are:

• Able to develop and implement policy and deliver strategic goals and initiatives.
• Can think innovatively about urban forestry related challenges and opportunities.
• A project manager who can lead multiple projects with a range of scope and scale.
• A collaborative team player able to work across divisions and departments.
• Experienced in the design and implementation of urban forestry projects.

You might be interested in this role if:

• You have a passion for protecting, conserving, and growing Kitchener\'s tree canopy while connecting people with trees in an urban environment.
• You are committed to best management practices, standards, and data-driven decision-making that advance urban forestry objectives.
• You are an urban forestry professional with experience managing projects from data collection and data analysis through to project implementation and evaluation.
• You thrive in a fast-paced and constantly changing environment.

Responsibilities:

• Manage and oversee large capital projects and tenders, internal projects (e.g., tree canopy targets, tree planting plans, risk management frameworks, tree inventories, soil analysis, interdepartmental working groups) and corporate initiatives (e.g., development reviews, tree protection and preservation programs, Love My Hood, and other divisional strategic plans).
• Coordinate the planning, administration, and maintenance of internal operations programs and external contracts, including preparation of tenders to meet operational needs.
• Provide leadership and coordination to all forestry reviews, particularly those related to tree protection and tree planting, of development applications through subdivision, site plan and other forms of development applications.
• Establish working relationships, interdepartmental review processes and collaboration opportunities to improve the City\'s overall tree protection, tree planting and green asset management responsibilities.
• Develop and implement data collection strategies including ground-based tree inventories, LIDAR and GIS spatial data, and other efforts to gain scientific understanding of the urban forest asset and in the adoption and implementation of industry best management practices.
• Analyze, investigate, and interpret various datasets using analytical methods and approaches that are focused on setting tree management priorities and implementation of a proactive maintenance program.
• Oversee the City\'s street and park tree inventory/inspection process including data quality control, performance monitoring and database administration.
• Provide direct support and training to all Forestry & Natural Areas Management staff in relation to tree inventory and tree inspection processes.
• Provide leadership, mentorship and support to temporary contract staff, technologists, field technicians, and summer students engaged to complete tree inventory work and urban forestry projects.
• Direct the work of consultants and contractors hired for forestry projects by setting project scope, monitoring performance, and ensure project delivery on budget and within set timeframes.
• Responsible for short-range planning including budget tracking/control; project scheduling, project design, public information sessions; contract tendering and administration; (contract, advertising, closing date); report preparation for Council approval (contractor, budget).
• Provide direction and support for long range planning including life cycle analysis, asset management planning, maintenance program prioritization, capital program control and implementation, 10-year capital budget recommendations, scheduling of projects, consultant evaluations.
• Analyze program data and information to develop business cases and/or grant funding opportunities.
• Research, and analyze information, industry, and academic research to develop best management practices, standard procedures, specifications and operational programs.
• Represent Forestry & Natural Areas Management team to act as the liaison for internal and external stakeholders, inter-municipal working groups and in community projects and partnerships in relation to trees and the forestry asset.

Requirements:

Minimum Qualifications:

• 3-year degree or diploma in Forestry, Arboriculture, Environmental Studies, or an associated field.
• Must be an International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) certified arborist in good standing and possess an ISA Tree Risk Assessment Qualification (TRAQ) certification.

Minimum Experience:

• 4-7 years of related experience.
• Candidates that demonstrate experience in the development and delivery of forestry projects in a municipal or similar setting preferred.
• Proficiency in managing contracts, experience preparing contract specification documents, overseeing work completion and procurement processes.
• Strong understanding and knowledge of arboricultural & urban forestry best management practices and related legislation.
• Demonstrated ability to participate as an effective team member working on both independent and group focused activities.
• Clear and precise verbal and written communication skills with demonstrated experience dealing with the public and strong conflict resolution abilities.
• Excellent computer skills including proficiency with MS Word, Excel, various tree management software system(s), ArcGIS and other workflow management applications
• Strong analytical and organizational skills, with attention to detail and ability to prioritize and manage multiple tasks quickly and efficiently.
• Must be reliable with a good attitude and employment record.

The City of Kitchener is committed to an equity-driven, inclusive, accessible, and barrier-free recruitment and selection process, and to ensuring our workforce reflects the full diversity of the community we serve. We welcome applications from Indigenous, Black, racialized and 2SLGBTQ+ persons, as well as other equity deserving groups.

We will accommodate the needs of applicants under the Human Rights Code and Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) throughout all stages of the recruitment and selection process. Please contact Human Resources at , or 519-741-2200 ext. 7261 to make your needs known, so that we can support your full and equal participation throughout the hiring process.

We appreciate the interest of all applicants. Only candidates whose skills, experience and qualifications meet the requirements of the position will be contacted.

Please note that as per Human Resources Policy HUM-HIR-110, "Employment of Relatives of Staff Members and Elected Officials":

"The immediate relatives of staff of the Human Resources Division, all Directors, General Managers, or the Chief Administrative Officer and Elected Officials shall not be employed by the City in any capacity.

The immediate relatives of all other Management personnel shall not be employed where such employment would be:

1. within the same Department in the case of permanent full-time, temporary full-time and part-time classifications.

2. within the same Division in the case of students."

Department

Infrastructure Services

Division

Parks and Cemeteries

Union Affiliation

CUPE 791

Number of Positions

1

Hours of Work

35 hours per week

Location

Initial Location

Kitchener Operations Facility

City

Kitchener

Compensation

Salary Range

$81,062 - $101,328

Grade/Band

10

City of Kitchener